My husband Chris, aka Zed, aka Big Money, is lovely. He is just lovely. Nothing else can explain him. He is the best thing that ever happened to me. Chris and I met in radio broadcasting school at Canadore College in North Bay, Ontario. Chris currently works as the Communications Officer for the city we live in. It’s nice to have a partner that “gets” what I do. Plus, he is super smart, so when I freak out about not being able to upload a file or work the vacuum, or change the oil, he ALWAYS saves the day.

Whirldwind is 9. I’ve called her Whirlwind on the blog since we started, but I have never called her that in real life. Weird, I know. She keeps us on our toes and consistently brings the fun. She feels all the feels. Funny is really funny. Sad is really sad. Angry is really angry. Scared is really scared. Yada yada yada. She loves to do things. She loves to go to her friend’s house, dance class, make slime (UGH, THE WORST) the grocery store, the park, really anything. She loves to be busy and hates to have nothing to do. Watching her excel in swimming, dance and public speaking has been really cool.

Bot is 7. He is the coolest cat in the room. There is just something about this kid. He is funny. He is thoughtful. He is loving. He is kind. He is smart. Truly, I can’t get enough of him. I am fully aware that this is unhealthy and I am prepared to pay for his therapy in the future. He is an incredible artist. We are also getting a kick out of his first year of hockey.

4. Do you have any pets? Tell us about them.
We have a hamster. I haven’t been the most supportive parent when it comes to pets. Animals have always sort of freaked me out. I never grew up with pets. I mean, I had a pet chicken for a few weeks and then a coyote ate it. But, I like our hamster, Flash, as long as he is in the cage. I have never held him, that’s just taking things way too far.

Sigh. It’s all challenging. I find all of it challenging. It changes every day, which is a challenge in itself.

6. If you could pick any career in the world for yourself, what would it be, and why?

I love radio. I loved working in radio. I always wanted to work in morning show radio and I was lucky enough to actually work in my dream career in a few markets, but never in major market radio like I wanted. There really is nothing that suits me for a career like radio. Radio is filled with kooks. It’s the best place for me. I do wish that things had turned out differently for me career wise. But, it is what it is. I really can’t complain. I I love where we live in British Columbia. I love working in social media. I love the success of running my own business. I love that my husband is happy in his career and life. I love that through Mommy’s Weird I have been able to fill that goofy, creative void in my life that radio once filled.

7. Growing up, who inspired you the most?

Television and People Magazine. Pathetic I know, but true. I watched a lot of tv as a kid. We only had 3 channels in small town Manitoba, but I loved it. I really wish I had a better answer for this question. I wish I could tell you it was one of the amazing female highschool teachers I had, and I had some really good ones like Ms. Boyko, Mrs. Martin, Ms. Thompson. But, it wasn’t them. It was whoever was on my television and on the cover of People Magazine. Don’t judge.

8. How do you balance work life and family life?

I hate the word balance. Is there really such a thing? I guess the best answer for this would be exercise. I work out 4x a week. I have to. It keeps my brain in a good place. Also, I just started taking tap dancing classes. It challenges me physically and mentally in ways that I never expected. It is humbling as hell. Do not expect to see me on stage anytime soon.

9. What advice would your “current self” give to your “just about to have my first child” self?

I would tell myself to chill the fuck out. Can I say that here? I was so worried all the time. I worried my entire pregnancy. It was ridiculous. I would also tell myself to quit feeling so guilty about everything. Ask for help. It’s okay to tell someone that you need help and that you haven’t showered in 5 days.

10. Has there been a piece of advice you were given about parenting that really stuck with you?

Cut the grapes long wise not in half. Potty training will not last forever. Put the kids to bed early.

11. What advice would you give to new parents?

Can I say “chill the fuck out” again? But, really, just chill out. It doesn’t matter if your kid is dressed in brand name clothes or eats butterscotch pudding for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Oh and dry shampoo will save your life.

Get social with Kyla Cornish!

“11 Questions with…” is an on-going feature. I will be interviewing parents with the same 11 questions, who like me, live in the digital world. The goal is to examine different perspectives, advice, challenges, and experiences from how people parent their children, and live a successful work / life / online balance.

There will be no specific frequency for this feature. It will be on-going, and filed under the “Lifestyle” tab, then “11 Questions with…” subtab, so it is easy to find.

With all the challenges of parenting these days, we could all use stories from fellow parents, who may have already gone through a similar experience, or were offered advice that you could use.

Craig Silva

Craig is a husband, a father, team leader, senior youth group coordinator, designer, brander, community builder, volunteer, blogger, and social media manager. Craig likes to go camping, travel, go on road trips, watch movies, read with his girls, build stuff, operate the grill, and play bass guitar. In June 2017, PR firm Cision identified Craig as one of Canada’s top 10 most popular male bloggers in the parents and family space. Known as Big Daddy Kreativ, his blog specializes in travel, lifestyle, food, automotive, events, parenting, movies, tech, recipes, health, pets, reviews, and giveaways.